Riddler, Crispus Allen, and Renee Montoya Bumped to Series Regulars on Gotham

Now that Gotham has been picked up for series, it’s time to populate the show, not just the pilot, and to that end actors playing Edward Nygma and Gotham Central stars Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya have been hired on as recurring roles!

We were pretty sure Allen and Montoya were included in the show based on cast information, but without an official announcement it was difficult to tell. The two detectives in Gotham’s major crimes unit were prominent characters in Gotham Central, the comic series by Greg Rucka and Ed Brubaker that Gotham owes a few nods to, if not much of its concept. As partners, the two had a solid friendship, despite Allen’s skepticism of the Gotham PD’s dependence on Batman. Renee would later go on to become one of the DC Universe’s most prominent queer superheroes, after inheriting the identity of The Question from Vic Sage, and after his untimely death Allen would briefly become the human host for the Spectre.

Look, I’m happy, nay, over the moon, that Gotham is interested in Montoya and Allen, some of the few relatively well known characters of color associated with Batman’s setting. Somebody has to be: neither have appeared in comics since the New 52 reboot. For Montoya, television appearances represent something of a return home: she is one of two female characters created for Batman: The Animated Series who made into comics continuity (the other is Harley Quinn). Seriously, though, Gotham, if you threw in some references to her as the Question, I’d just about die of happiness. Also: you had dang well better not ignore her sexuality and either establish or let viewers assume that she’s straight.

Allen and Montoya will be played by Andrew Stewart-Jones and Victoria Cartagena, while Edward Nygma, also promoted from his guest appearance in Gotham‘s pilot to recurring character, will still be played by Cory Michael Smith. Since the show takes place before the appearance of Batman and his rogues gallery, Nygma is a mere forensic scientist, described as “socially awkward” and “desperate to be liked.”

Your Jim Gordon might not have a mustache, but if it means I get Renee Montoya stories back, I’ll take it, Gotham.